Getting To Know You Babe
by babesrus2
Summary: Ranger has found his Babe. Will they ride off into the sunset together? Not so fast. We are talking about Stephanie after all. A Babe HEA. This is the third story of a trilogy. You should read 'The Terrorist' and 'Finding My Babe' before you read this.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: OK Janet. I'll make you a deal. You can have all our snow if I can have Ranger. **

A/N For some reason I cannot get the song from The King and I out of my head, hence the title for this story.

A Night to Remember

Stephanie attempted to stretch. Her movements were restricted by a strong pair of arms that tightened around her. She purred in contentment. She opened her eyes and gazed into dark chocolate pools watching her. She smiled. It had been a very good night. Every muscle complained, but in a good way.

She tried to move and Ranger's arms tightened. "Ranger, I have to pee." He released her immediately and she dashed to the bathroom. Arriving back after looking after business, he was sitting up, leaning against the headboard. She knew what time it was and marvelled at his self control. It was almost 6 am and he was still in bed.

She stood at the foot of the bed, hands on her hip and smiled. "Got any workout clothes in that bag, mister? Time's a wasting, and I need to run today before I go to work."

Ranger looked at her. She had made so many changes in her year absence. He clamored out of bed and headed for the bathroom taking his duffle with him. Stephanie licked her lips. A year later and that ass still looked pretty good.

By the time she was dressed, he was coming out of the bathroom, also in his gear. Stephanie opened the door to Q glaring on the other side. As she moved down the stairs Q was berating her all the way down. It seemed to be a myriad of complaints.

Stephanie put some food in her bowl and petted her head. Q began to purr with a ragged sound as she ate. She had been fending for herself before she was adopted. Food was very precious to Q and she attacked her meal with gusto.

Swiftly they put on their running shoes and disabling the alarm, stepped outside. It was going to be a beautiful fall day. The sun was now up and the wind was light. They quickly stretched and headed out. Stephanie led the way. She had taken up running some time ago. When she ran, she could clear her head and plan her day.

Ranger kept stride with her. He admired her new determination . After all that she had been through, she was trying to put normal back in her life. He smiled at her eating habits yesterday. He remembered her steering away from all the desserts on the table at Rangeman. She had tasted a couple of Ella's marvels, but for the most part had stuck to vegetables. He was looking forward to seeing how else she had spent her time.

Heading back after a five mile run, they finished with a sprint to her door. Q was waiting. She looked at Ranger and commenced a new diatribe at her lot in life. Stephanie picked her up and rubbed her ears and under her chin. A loud purr came from deep in the recesses. Ranger laughed. He too pet Q on the way in.

They headed for the shower. It was big enough for two. Quickly divesting themselves of their sweat soaked garments they stepped inside the enclosure. The water cascaded over their backs. They did a slow dance under the steamy water and eventually turned off the water. It was not the fastest shower ever attempted but very satisfying.

Stephanie had a towel wrapped around herself and one around her hair. Ranger had a towel slung low over his hips. They moved to the bedroom and began to dress. Stephanie was still dressing and getting herself ready to face the day. Ranger had already left and was downstairs banging pots together. She soon joined him.

He had a coffee mug by the brew station. She chose a flavored coffee and watched as the cup slowly filled. The aroma permeated the room. Ranger had already brewed a green tea and it sat on the counter beside him. It looked like he was making omelets this morning. He slid a plate to her and turned to finish the second omelet.

She took a bite. The explosive flavors took her breath away. She had missed the Cuban influence. She moaned with every bite. Ranger sat and squirmed a few times as he listened to her. He watched as she polished off her helping and looked longingly at his. He grinned and pushed his portion closer. She smiled and took a bite. They finished all too soon.

Sitting with their mugs of refreshment, they both seemed deep in thought. Ranger broke the silence. "Babe, what are your plans for today?"

Stephanie sighed. She marshalled her thoughts.

"Ranger, I need to get my car from Rangeman. Today is going to be long and hard. I have clients I need to check up on.

I have a lot of office work to do today and I need to figure out my resources. Patricia dropped a bombshell on me. We have lost funding and she has taken herself off the payroll. I feel that I should take a pay cut so that we can keep all our staff but I will have to work that out."

Stephanie took another sip of coffee. "I need to contact my handler. Now that I have been found, I need to know their next move. I assume that I will be taken out of the program. Do I change my name back? Do I need to move to somewhere else and resurrect my old life? So many questions. No answers as yet."

Ranger watched her verbally argue with herself. He wanted to take her away and keep her for himself, but he realized that she wanted to feel needed.

They cleaned up the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. He grabbed his duffle and she grabbed her purse and briefcase. She alarmed the house and they climbed into the Porsche. The trip was made in silence. Ranger had captured her left hand and placed it on his thigh. He rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand all the way to Rangeman.

He fobbed the garage door open and drove in. He parked by her Civic. They climbed out of the car. He came around to stand beside her. He pulled her into his embrace and gave her a bone melting kiss. There came a wolf whistle from the back of the garage. He pulled back slightly from her and turned toward the sound.

Two men were just climbing out of their truck. He recognized them as Dan and Harry. They were new hires that Rangeman had brought in to replace some of the recently departed employees. Never releasing Stephanie, he looked at them both. "Matts, one hour," came a throaty growl. The men blanched and nodded. They plodded to the stairwell and disappeared.

Ranger looked back at Stephanie. "There is a key fob in your car. I'd like to take you out for supper tonight. You have my number. Call me." She moved out of his arms. Nodding, she opened the door to her car and slid in. He leaned down and gave her another kiss on the lips. "I will think of you all day."

She turned the key and the motor started. She waved and backed out of the spot. She headed out of the garage. Ranger watched her until her taillights disappeared from sight. He sighed and headed for the stairs.

Manny was in his office. He was looking a bit stressed. His desk was piled high with paper. He looked up as Ranger came in and sat down. Manny smiled. Ranger looked more relaxed than he had since Stephanie had been led away oh so long ago. Life was good.

They got down to work. There were reports to finalize. The payroll needed to be done and the rotation updated. Manny rubbed his hand over his face. He was working on a very steep learning curve here. He hoped that Ranger would stick around for awhile. It was a small office in Boston, barely half the size of Trenton, but the work was the same.

He threw down the papers in disgust. "Ranger, I hate to admit it man, but this is a bit much for me to learn all at once. I need help. "

Ranger tried to calm his new Manager. "It gets easier as you learn the system, Manny. You will not be left swinging in the breeze. "

Ranger spoke again. " I have some ideas to take some of the load off you. Stephanie mentioned that they were having to cut back where she works. Budget cut-backs. What do you think about asking her if she will take over the payroll and scheduling. She helped out Tank with that and she made it run really smoothly. Maybe she could do it on a part-time basis. She can help them and us. I would talk to her boss and take her off their payroll and put her full-time on ours."

Manny sighed. It would be a huge load off his shoulders. He was not business trained. Everything to do with money made him cringe. He was used to all the reporting and security details, but that end of the business was keeping him awake at night.

He nodded his head. It would be nice to have her around again. She brought such a spark of life anywhere she moved. He wondered how long she would remain. He suspected that now Ranger had found her, he would be keeping very close tabs on her for quite some time. Ranger had already arranged for trackers to be placed on her car. He wanted her to be safe.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Janet. You've hung onto these amazing characters for nineteen books. Let them fly. **

A New Old Employer

Stephanie pulled into her parking spot. It seemed surreal as she climbed out and locked the door. Yesterday had been such a roller coaster of a day.

She was relieved that her secret was now out, but reticent to tell her fellow employees much. They would want details of her former life and she just was not ready to spill.

She suspected that Patricia knew more than she was letting on. Stephanie's spidey sense had gone off a number of times with respect to her.

She entered the building. It was a hub of activity this morning. Excited chatter could be heard throughout the building. Stephanie stepped into the break room for a coffee.

There was a huge bouquet of flowers adorning the table. There was a large box of donuts beside the vase. Stephanie smiled. Slowly she wandered over to the arrangement. There were her favorite blooms, gerberas in every possible color. Nestled in the blooms was a single red rose. There was no card. Stephanie knew who had sent it. She took a donut and with her coffee in her other hand hummed happily as she headed for her office.

She peeked in Patricia's office. She was sitting behind a mountain of paper. Patricia looked up and smiled. Stephanie continued on to her office and viewed her own personal mountain. She put down her briefcase and purse and wandered back to Patricia's office. She knocked on the door jam and walked in closing the door behind her. Patricia leaned back in her chair. She had a cup of coffee in one hand and a donut sitting on a napkin on the desk.

"Well, that's the happiest face I have seen on you since you started." Patricia smiled. She suspected that her employee had not spent the night alone. She waited for a response. Stephanie smiled at her remark.

Stephanie spoke. "I came to the conclusion yesterday that it was you who had called in the troops. I am sorry that I had to maintain a low profile. I never meant to alarm you and if there was any chance of endangering our clients I would have taken myself out of the scene. "

Patricia looked at her. She was not wearing her contacts this morning and her vibrant blue eyes twinkled. She looked so full of life now.

Patricia wondered what had befallen her friend that she would be forced to take protection under the guise of the Witness Protection Program. Rangeman had assured her that Sandy was not in danger.

Patricia smiled. "Stephanie Plum, eh?" I googled you and you are somewhat famous in Trenton. We really need to have a chat about that, when you are ready."

Stephanie smiled. "Well, Patricia, I'll tell if you tell. I used to be pretty good at searches, you know." She winked at Patricia. She would keep her secret.

They changed the subject and got down to work. Patricia showed her the numbers. It was worse than Stephanie could imagine.

She looked at Patricia. "I need to check some things out. I have an idea how to help you a bit. How about if I take myself off the payroll. That would free up some more room. I could go down to part-time and that would also take some pressure off the insurance rates. "

Stephanie muttered to herself. "I can talk to Ranger. He has a new manager at Rangeman and I think he might need some help in their office for awhile. I used to do payroll and staff schedules there in addition to searches. I don't want to lose my contact here, but the others can take my clients until we can get back on our feet. "

Patricia nodded slowly. She would hate to lose her. They were providing such a valuable service that she was willing to do whatever it took to keep the doors open.

She felt herself relax. It had been a tough couple of weeks. She had lain in bed trying to figure a way out of the situation. Now, with one quick stroke, Sandy had opened a new door.

Patricia spoke. "I don't want to push you away and I certainly appreciate the gesture, but shouldn't you check it out first before offering?"

Stephanie pulled her phone out of her purse. Calling the number from memory she waited. It took two rings for Ranger to answer. He sounded wonderful to her ears with his soft" Yo".

Stephanie quickly explained her thought process. Ranger didn't even hesitate. He would tell Manny to expect her later that day. Manny would be ecstatic .

Ranger spoke again. "I will be in your office later and will drop by to see Patricia if she has time. " He hung up without saying bye. Stephanie grumbled. Some things never changed.

Stephanie looked at Patricia. "He agreed way too quickly to my request. I bet he had already checked it out with Manny. I could never pull over anything on him for long. He said he would drop by later and talk to you, if that's OK?"

Patricia nodded. She would look forward to talking to him. He was such a no-nonsense individual.

He reminded her of her former colleagues so very long ago. That thought brought up some long forgotten memories. She had enjoyed the excitement. She sometimes longed to return to her former lifestyle.

She shook her head mentally. She was in the right place now. Her cover had held true for many, many years and she no longer feared for her life.

Stephanie headed for her office. She had a lot to do. There was the never-ending reports on clients to update.

She was looking at finding a new supplier for office materials. She figured that they could do better. She wanted to look at more ways to streamline the office. She was looking at everything to do with finances. Stephanie was on a mission.

Lunchtime came. She was just about to buzz Patricia to see if she wanted to head somewhere for lunch when she felt a tingle at the base of her neck. Possibly the most handsome man in the world was standing in her doorway. He was leaning against her door jam. He was dressed in his usual black with a jacket covering his web belt.

Stephanie shut down her computer. She stood up and moved to him. Looking if anybody was peeking, she put her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. He grabbed her at the same time and returned the kiss with passion.

There was a soft chuckle behind them. Peeking over Ranger's shoulder she saw Patricia standing in the hallway with a sheaf of papers in her hand fanning herself. Stephanie grudgingly pushed away and smoothed her shirt.

Her lips had that just been royally kissed look and she appeared a bit dazed.

Ranger grinned. He put his hand on Stephanie's back. He looked at Patricia and smiled. "I am hoping to take my Babe to lunch. Would you care to join us? We could go over Stephanie's plan if you want."

Patricia looked at the two love birds. Her first inclination was to refuse, but a part of her wanted to hear about their life before Boston. She was hoping that Sandy would give some details of her prior life. She was assuming that Ranger might also want to hear what she had been up to.

She surmised that they had not done much talking the night before. Thinking quickly, she agreed and went for her purse.

They headed to the parking lot. Patricia offered to drive and Ranger and Stephanie climbed into the back seat. Patricia took them to a little restaurant down the road.

Stephanie giggled to herself. Who would get their back to the wall? She could already see the battle of wills.

Walking into the restaurant, they were led to a table at the back. Stephanie was watching. As she suspected, Patricia took the back since she was led to the table first. Ranger slowed. He was mentally reviewing the new seating arrangement. Stephanie stayed back. He covered his tracks perfectly and sat to one side with Stephanie beside him. His eyes glanced around. Stephanie could see him processing what he might need in case of an emergency.

They ordered from the menu. While waiting they discussed Stephanie's plan. Ranger added in his own requirements.

Stephanie sat back and watched Ranger and Patricia square off. They were both alphas and used to having their own way.

Finally Stephanie couldn't stand it any more. She cleared her throat. "Since this involves me, can I have a say here?" Ranger and Patricia stopped gesturing and looked at her.

Stephanie looked back at them. She was sitting with her arms crossed. Her blue eyes sparkled with tension. "I will work one half day at each place. I would prefer to work the mornings at Elizabeth Fry and head to Rangeman in the afternoon. "

Stephanie spoke. "I would not have to endure the early morning meetings at Rangeman. I am not planning on doing distractions, or going out on surveillance. I am also not going to carry a gun." She looked pointedly at Ranger.

"Morning meetings at Elizabeth Fry start at ten o'clock because of the late nights the counsellors work. I could get a lot of work done before the meetings".

After a lot of flaring of nostrils and harrumphs it was decided.

Ranger then broached the subject that she be taken off the Elizabeth Fry payroll and added to his. He would take over insurance coverage for her. Stephanie grunted unhappily. She could see that she was becoming another line in his budget but unfortunately she did not have any other option. Elizabeth Fry could not afford her at the present time.

Ranger cleared his throat. He appeared a bit tentative. "Patricia. I would like to help sponsor the Society. If I gave you a cheque for $250,000 would that be enough for you to maintain your programs and put you back on the payroll?" He looked at her.

Patricia looked at him in shock. That amount of money would certainly help and keep everyone working. She gulped and sputtered. Stephanie reached over and patted her on the back sympathetically. Ranger always knew how to keep one off balance.

Finally, Patricia spoke. "Ranger, that is such a generous offer. I don't know what to say. I, of course , will not say no, but that is a lot of money."

Ranger smiled. He took the cheque from inside his wallet and handed it over to her. It was a certified cheque made out to Elizabeth Fry Boston. Patricia could only stare at it in amazement. She felt herself get a little emotional and quickly tried to cover it up with a cough. She carefully put it in her bag. She had nothing to say. What do you say to a person who so casually gives you a quarter of a million dollars?

Lunch ended soon afterwards. Ranger put some bills on the table. He ignored the look that Patricia had given him. Once again they climbed into Patricia's SUV for the drive back to the office. Thanking him once again, Patricia headed to her office. She was going to be making a bank deposit that afternoon.

Stephanie shook her head. He was so giving of himself and his company.

She hoped that she could help at Rangeman. She would try her best. She moved to her office and picked up her purse and briefcase.

Ranger had already taken off. He had a meeting in his building. He had kissed her again, making her shoes smoke and her toes curl. Boy, that man could kiss.

Manny was waiting back at Rangeman. He had already set up an office for her. They would be having meetings the rest of the day.

Stephanie would meet up with Ranger later. She wanted to discuss the tracker she had found on her car when she stopped at Elizabeth Fry that morning. She was still processing whether to be angry that someone had had it installed, or content that they had her back. She was also going to check out her purse tonight, possibly in front of Ranger.

Stephanie felt safe in Boston. She had no enemies, no stalkers, and no need to justify the installation and monitoring.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: OK, I understand you own them Janet.**

A New Routine

A week passed. Stephanie settled into her new schedule. She quickly got into a rhythm. She and Ranger ran together in the mornings. They would then shower and have breakfast. He would head to Rangeman for the day and she would get ready for work at Elizabeth Fry.

Stephanie dug into her work. Now that she did not need to stay under the radar, she attacked the company budget with a vengeance. She was overhauling each department. She had made some significant savings by switching to different suppliers.

She had renegotiated with the electrical and telephone companies. She came to the meetings with valid reports and updated numbers. She convinced them to change them to a more reasonable commercial rate due to their usage. They had been charged at the top rate for years.

She put her fellow employees on a fleet fuel plan with a national company. They all carried gas cards now and the savings had been immediate. Before they had just filled up anywhere and were reimbursed.

Stephanie missed dealing with the clients, but she revelled in the free evenings.

Stephanie had also stepped in at Rangeman. She was careful not to step on Manny's toes and question his authority. She had completely revamped the employee shift rotation, mirroring Trenton. Ranger was contemplating having Stephanie travel to the other offices to implement the new procedures.

She had taken over payroll and the complaints disappeared. She was now working on other budget items. Like Elizabeth Fry, she had changed suppliers and renegotiated contracts with the utility companies. She was rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with. She had the statistics to prove her point and came into each meeting well prepared.

Ranger and Stephanie had been getting closer and more personal in their relationship. Every evening they could, they spent together. Q was getting quite vocal at being locked out of the bedroom each night. She complained to Stephanie each morning at her new lot in life.

Stephanie had opened all her cards in the safety of her house. Ranger had been with her and supported her through the ordeal. The notes were full of love and affection. Almost every note had something they had related between the writer and Stephanie.

Most of the notes from the Rangemen included apologies for their judgement of her that awful day. To a man, they asked for her to forgive them. By the end, she was so emotional that Ranger had held her in his arms soothing her with words of comfort. She tucked away the cards in a safe place. She had moved on.

She told Ranger of her quick conversation with Eddie. He had whispered in her ear that Joe was under suspension from the Trenton Police Department for allegations of obtaining sexual favors from prostitutes.

Co-incidentally he had also been served with a possible paternity lawsuit. Terry Gillman had married Rodney Stamos, an upper level player in The Family. She was now expecting a child and it had leaked out that Rodney was unable to father children. There was a waiting game going on in Trenton. The baby was due in a month and tests were to be scheduled. Joe was looking a bit worried.

Stephanie had also related what Ella had whispered to her. She had told her how sad she and Louis were about her family. Ella let her know that she was already a daughter in their eyes. Stephanie had always joked that she hoped that Ella would adopt her.

Stephanie had contacted Maurice. She explained what had happened and asked what was the next move. Maurice had expressed horror that her identity had been breached. He had visited her one evening.

Ranger was in the living room. They shook hands. Maurice spoke. "I would like to congratulate your company on peeling away the cover. We take pride in making a file that is open to scrutiny. I would like to think that it is a rare occurrence, but obviously we will have to delve into how it flagged. "

He turned to Stephanie. "Well my dear, what would you like to do? Are you ready to return as Stephanie Plum or will you continue as Sandy Appleton?"

Stephanie had already thought about it. "I plan to never return to Trenton again. There are just too many bad memories and people who will never understand. I have spoken to Ranger. I do not ever foresee needing to visit Rangeman Trenton. I would feel comfortable returning as Stephanie Plum."

Ranger had been holding her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. He was proud of her for making the leap of faith.

Maurice stood up. He shook Ranger's hand then turned to Stephanie. "It will take a few days to resurrect your name, Stephanie. I will contact you when we have it all finalized. You realize, of course that now you do not need our services, any and all monetary reimbursement will cease immediately. You will no longer be under our protection. I will be taking myself off your case and you will be on your own. Do you understand the ramifications?"Stephanie nodded. She was ready to fly again.

He let himself out of the house.

Ranger took her hand and led her to the sofa. He sat down with Stephanie on his lap. Q stalked over and sat on Stephanie's lap. Unconsciously Stephanie scratched behind her ears and under her chin. Q started to purr.

Ranger began to kiss Stephanie behind her neck. He moved to nibble on an ear lobe. He moved down and nipped on her neck. Stephanie began to purr. Ranger gently pushed her off his lap and stood up. He pulled Stephanie to her feet, dislodging Q. He took her hand and led her to the bedroom. The door closed.

Q sat by the closed door and complained.

Bobby arrived at Rangeman. He had come to her office and gave her a hug. She was looking wonderful. "How are you doing Bomber?" He grinned as she grimaced. She would never get used to that nickname. "Fine, Bobby. And for the record, I have not blown up anything in over a year!"

She was looking good. He missed her, just as all the men had. She had a spark of life that cut through all the garbage they were dealing with some days. She used to liven up their days back in Trenton.

"Gotta go and get the infirmary ready. Try not to get hurt, Steph. I would hate to have to get back in practice patching you up. I forgot to bring my special Bomber band-aids." She grabbed some papers and attempted to throw them at him. He laughed and walked out the door as they floated around the room.

Bobby was scheduled for three days of re-testing the employees. The gym had never been so busy. Men were on every piece of equipment. Ranger looked around. He was pleased with the effort. The men had really worked hard. Their fitness had increased and there was a new attitude. Manny was getting the hang of it and with Stephanie now on board the office was running smoothly. It was time to talk to her about the next step.

A/N – I was reading that that the majority of people in the Witness Protection Program are only helped for a very short time, up to only a few months in most cases. They set them up, check on them for awhile then leave.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: If you recognize them, they belong to Janet.**

Starting to Unravel

Stephanie was working in her office at Elizabeth Fry. She heard a loud commotion in the main office. She peeked out her door. A man was standing in the main office with a gun in his hand. He was pointing it at Abby. Abby was holding her hands in the air. She was shaking and crying.

He was getting more and more agitated. Quietly, Stephanie backed away. She quickly got her purse and opened it up. Ranger had added a panic button one morning. She figured that he had put at least one more tracker into her purse again. She pushed the button.

Rangeman was a hive of activity. Men were just coming on for shift change. All of a sudden, Marty said. "What the hell?" He was looking at a monitor. There was a red flashing light. Bobby was in the control room putting up the schedule for re-testing. He moved over to the board. He looked at it and yelled. Ranger and Manny flew out of their offices and headed for Bobby. He silently pointed at the board. Ranger blanched. Manny had already raced back into his office. He was gearing up. Ranger started to bark orders. He was grabbing more weapons as he moved. "Bobby, get your bag. Mitch, Dan, and Harry, gear up. Marty, I need the two closest units to head to Elizabeth Fry. Wait for me. Do not , I repeat, do not engage."

They raced down the stairs. Tim was already opening the garage door for them. They jumped into their trucks and sped out of the garage. Ranger was driving one vehicle and Manny and Dan were driving the others. Each had a partner.

Bobby was with Ranger. He thought back to his conversation with Stephanie only yesterday. He hoped he would not be needing his Bomber bandaids.

Stephanie took a quick breath. Abby was in the office by herself and she he was hyperventilating from fear. Stephanie had to take some of the heat off her. She picked up some papers and headed out her door. She looked like she was reading notes.

She looked up in surprise as she saw the man with the gun. He had now pointed the gun at her. She squeaked and put her hands up in surrender. He motioned for her to come and stand by Abby. Stephanie moved slowly never taking her eyes off the gunman. She stood by Abby. Talking very soothingly, Stephanie said."What do you want? We have no money here. If you leave now, nothing will happen to you. "

He narrowed his eyes and glared at Stephanie. "I don't want money, bitch. I am looking for my girlfriend, Heddy. You're hiding her from me and I want to know where she is. We belong together and you're poisoning her against me."

Stephanie remembered the staff meeting a few days ago. One of the counsellors had brought up Heddy. She was hiding from her abusive boyfriend. He had threatened her a number of times and she was afraid he would try to abduct her and take her away.

Stephanie tried to calm down the situation. She spoke soothingly to him. "I don't know where Heddy is. How about you put that gun down and we can go into an office and discuss this. You don't want to hurt anybody. I know you are missing her. Maybe we can call her and she can talk to you. "

He growled in frustration. Stephanie could see he was under the influence of some drug. His eyes had that vacant look and were not tracking well. This was a very dangerous situation. She could hear Patricia on the phone with the police.

He started to vibrate and the gun shook in his hand. He pointed it at Abby again and screamed. "Tell me where she is right now!" Stephanie moved a bit closer to him. He turned the gun on her again. She edged in front of Abby. She continued to talk softly. "Come on, you don't want to do this. Give me the gun. Heddy would not like it if she heard you wanted to hurt someone. Give me the gun, please. "

Stephanie could see movement out of the corner of her eye. A flash of black by a window. She tried again. "We can call Heddy. She can talk to you. Maybe she can come down here and we can meet. I know that she loves you but you have to give me the gun first."

He screamed in rage. There was a flurry of activity. Stephanie leaped and grabbed for the gun. A gunshot was heard. The door burst open and a sea of men in black poured through the front door. The back door had opened too and more men ran in. There was someone screaming in the background and the sound of sirens could be heard getting closer.

Manny had the man on the ground with his knee in the man's back and his hands cuffed behind him. Abby was still screaming. Ranger looked for his Babe. She was laying on the floor and he raced over to her. Bobby was right behind him. Ranger fell on his knees and touched her. She didn't move. He gently turned her over. There was a dark stain on her shirt. Bobby had pushed his way in and took one look. He ripped open her shirt. He already had his bag open. She was bleeding heavily. He took a compression bandage and pressed it over the wound. He felt her pulse then he looked at Ranger. "She's alive, man. She took one near her shoulder. We'll get her patched up good as new."

Patricia was hugging Abby. The other women had come into the room. They were clustered around Patricia and Abby. Most of them were weeping. They had all dreaded the day this would happen. They had tried to be careful not to let anyone know where their offices were, but somehow he had found out.

Manny stepped over to Patricia. He looked at all the women. "She will be fine. Bomber's been hurt a bunch of times. Bobby knows what she needs. Just watch. She'll try to convince him that she doesn't need to go to the hospital. She'll whine that he can treat her better back at Rangeman. They have always had this agreement that if she can walk, she doesn't need to go to the hospital. They will argue back and forth. The clincher will be that Ranger says, Please. She can never refuse him if he says that word."

Almost on cue, Stephanie could be heard. She tried to convince Bobby it was a scratch and a bandaid would work. She said that he could stitch her up. She even argued that if he did, she would stay at Rangeman for the day so he could check on her.

Bobby was gently arguing the point that she needed to go to the hospital. He wanted her to have a full set of x rays to make sure there was no underlying damage. He wanted her to see a doctor. She had lost a lot of blood. Back and forth the discussion continued.

Finally, Ranger stepped in. "Babe, please do this. The infirmary at Boston is not as extensive as Trenton."

Stephanie looked in his eyes. She slowly nodded. She would go. He had said the magic word. She was loaded in the ambulance. Ranger jumped in with her. Bobby headed out the door to a truck. He would follow the ambulance to the hospital.

Manny and his men handed over the attacker to the police. He was taking the lead answering their questions. Manny agreed that he would escort Abby to the police station for her statement. He gave Stephanie's name to the arresting officers. They would head to the hospital later for her statement.

Manny looked around. Now he knew how Tank felt. He had handled the situation with Ranger out of the way. He would write up his report on the incident. For the very first time he now believed he could handle the job. It felt good.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Your characters are amazing, Janet. **

Decisions, Decisions

Damn it, thought Stephanie. She hated that sound. That infernal beep, beep, beeping of the heart monitor machine. She could feel Ranger's hand resting on top of hers. She stirred and opened her eyes. He was sitting by her bed and he was smiling at her. She grimaced as she tried to move. Her left shoulder was heavily bandaged. Her mind cleared.

She looked at him. "You know, I'd kind of forgotten about what this felt like." Ranger chuckled. His heart had been in his throat when he saw her laying there in a pool of blood. As much as he had seen in his lifetime, the sight of his Babe hurt never ceased to make his heart clench. He thought she was safe. She no longer did bounty hunting. She was working in an office, for pete's sake.

He gently rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand. He had already spoken to the surgeon. She would be immobile for some time. There had been some major tissue and muscle damage. She would have months of rehabilitation ahead of her.

Stephanie started to drift back asleep. Her pain meds were strong. She felt protected. She hoped that she could be released from the hospital soon. She hated hospitals. She longed for her own bed, especially if Ranger was in there too. Q needed her. She sighed and tumbled down the dark tunnel of unconsciousness.

Stephanie opened her eyes again. She felt a bit better. The cotton baton feeling in her mouth was gone. She looked around. Ranger was standing by the window. His posture was rigid. She could see he was deep in thought. The light from the window was different. It looked like she had been in the hospital overnight.

Stephanie cleared her throat. Ranger turned around and strode to the bed. He took a glass of water with a straw and held it to her. She gratefully took a sip, then another. She signalled that that was enough. He sat down again. He held her small hand in his large hand. She looked at him.

"OK, Batman, what's up?" Ranger smiled. He pulled his chair closer. "I just spoke to your doctor. If you promise to be good, he will release you into Bobby's care." She tried to wriggle in excitement, but the movement left her gasping in pain. He jumped up ready to press the call button. She stopped him with a hand gesture.

"I need out of here. Q needs me. I hate hospitals." Stephanie started to whine.

Just then, Bobby came into the room. He had a big smile on his face and he was brandishing some papers in his hand.

He took one quick look at Stephanie. She had that look. He grinned. "Damn, Bomber. I told you I forgot your bandaids at home. Why'd you have to make me use a big bandaid?"

She looked around for something to throw at him. He laughed. "I have your release papers. I'm heading to Rangeman. I need to get my infirmary ready. Do you want to stay in the medical suite or on six?" He waited for her answer. He was pretty sure he knew the answer, but he always tried to give her choices.

Stephanie looked at Ranger. "If Ranger will have me, I'll stay on six, but Q has to come too." Ranger sighed. He had finally gotten used to Rex invading his property and now he had to contend with a cat. Well, so be it. If that's what it took, that's what would happen.

The men left the room. A nurse came in and assisted Stephanie with dressing. There was a duffle of clothing sitting in the closet. Stephanie wondered who had picked it up.

Stephanie grimaced at the wheelchair by Ranger. She grudgingly sat down and he pushed her out of the room. Marty was following the chair with the flowers from Elizabeth Fry and Rangeman Trenton. He and Dan had been guarding the door.

There was a big black Mercedes SUV at the front door of the hospital. Ranger assisted her into the passenger seat and put the seatbelt around her. He gave her a gentle kiss on the mouth, closed the door and ran around to the driver's door and jumped in.

He drove carefully, finally pulling into the garage. He once again ran around and opened her door. He unbuckled her seatbelt and assisted her out of the SUV.

The elevator was waiting for her. They swiftly headed upstairs non stop. The elevator opened on six and they stepped out.

The door was open and Bobby was puttering in the bedroom. Ranger led Stephanie to the room. She signalled she needed to use the bathroom and closed the door firmly in his face. She did not need his help! He chuckled and backed away.

Stephanie emerged and headed for the bed. She was tired and felt the need to lay down. Gingerly she sat down on the bed and leaned back. There were lots of soft pillows to rest against. Her eyes closed.

Bobby checked her pulse and pulled the covers over her. He gently kissed her on the forehead. He left some pills and a bottle of water on the nightstand by her and tiptoed out the door.

Ranger was standing by. Bobby stopped by him. "I've left some pain meds on the nightstand. She should take them every four hours. Her shoulder is going to hurt for awhile. That bullet did some serious muscular damage. Call me if you need me. I will check on her later tonight." With that, he let himself out of the apartment.

Ranger called Tank. He had already updated him on the latest with his Babe.

He wanted to bounce something off of him. He had just received a very important phone call.

**I will send through another chapter in a couple of hours. **


	6. Chapter 6

Tornado Ella

Stephanie drifted in and out for the next two days. Ranger made sure she took her meds on time. He brought her food to snack on. He assisted her out of bed when she needed to use the bathroom. Q had been brought to the apartment and had taken up residency at the foot of the bed. She left her station only to use the cat box or to grab a bite to eat. She patrolled on the bed and took up a protective position.

Finally, Stephanie felt strong enough to make her way to the sofa in the living room. Ranger found her there. He had come in with another tray of food. She looked at it with interest. It was all her favorites.

She looked at Ranger and he smiled. Nobody made these foods like Ella.

Just then, Ella walked into the room.

She clucked in displeasure. The room was a mess. Linens were piled up by the door. Shoes were laying haphazardly near the kitchen. Dishes were abandoned on the coffee table. Stephanie was wearing a wrinkled t-shirt and boxer briefs.

"Ranger, there is somewhere you need to be and it is not here. Go to the gym, work in your office or go arrest someone. I will get this place under control." Ella would call him when he could come back.

He looked at his Tia Ella in exasperation. She was getting bossier by the day! With that threat, Ella shooed Ranger to the door. She closed the door solidly behind him.

Ella came back into the room. Stephanie certainly looked like she needed a mother's love. First, she came up to her. Kissing her gently on the cheek, she spoke. "Ranger phoned me. He has been looking after you very well, but you needed that little push to get better. "

Ella grabbed a blanket and tucked it around Stephanie. " I am here to interview candidates for the Rangeman housekeeper position. I hope to have this place shipshape in about a week or so. "

Stephanie almost cried. She had been feeling sorry for herself. She hated to feel helpless and this enforced confinement was wearing her down.

Q climbed on her lap. She stroked her with her one good arm. A loud purr was heard. Ella petted the cat and headed to the kitchen.

There erupted a long string of Spanish, which Stephanie could only guess was expletives. My, the Spanish language had a lot of sayings. Ella did not appear to use the same phrase twice.

Stephanie could hear a lot of banging and shuffling. She heard the dishwasher turn on. Ella had already headed for the bedroom. She could hear the sheets being pulled off the bed. Closet doors opened and she heard the sheets snap as the bed was being made. There was more cursing as she moved to the bathroom. More noises came from the room.

Ella finally emerged with a load of laundry in her arms. She put her load by the front door. Next she came over to Stephanie. "I hate to admit it dear, but you need a shower. Should I call Bobby to put a waterproof dressing on your shoulder? I can also help you have a shower if you need me. "

Stephanie grimaced. She would get Bobby to change her bandage but she felt she could handle the shower herself. She had one good hand and would call if she needed help.

Ella called Bobby on the phone. He came up with his bag and swiftly changed the dressing. He looked pleased at the status of the wound. It was healing nicely. Ella then ordered him out of the apartment. He muttered to himself, "Bossy mother hen!", and left.

Bobby had been scheduled to return to Trenton, but he was sticking around in case the Bomber required help. Ranger had mentioned that with Ella there, he could return tomorrow.

He had completed all his testing. The results were now on Manny's desk.

Ella helped her with her shirt. She promised to have some tops that would accommodate the injury by the end of the day. Stephanie stepped in the shower. The water felt lovely. She took her time lathering up and washing. Finally turning off the water, she stepped out. There were a number of large fluffy towels waiting for her.

She managed to dry herself and put on a very large black t shirt. It looked like it would fit Tank! She slipped her arm into the sling.

Feeling much better she headed once again for the sofa. She was tired of lying in bed. On the coffee table was a copy of Ghostbusters, in blue ray. Stephanie popped it in and settled back.

Ranger tiptoed in. He had not waited for Ella to call him. He had received a progress report from Bobby and decided to chance that Ella had moved on to another location.

Ella was a housekeeping whirlwind. She already had the apartment in pristine shape and had moved to the staff lunchroom. She had let out another string of Spanish expletives and locked the lunchroom door. More crashing and banging could be heard. The staff stayed far away. They had heard about the tornado called Ella.

Ranger sat by Stephanie. She sighed happily. She held his hand and squeezed. Speaking softly, she said, "Thank You." He smiled. Stephanie fell asleep with her head on Ranger's shoulder.

He sighed. Ella was a godsend. If she had not been available he might have been forced to call his mom. She was Ella's older sister and twice the neat freak. He shuddered what she might have said to him at the status of the building.

Stephanie woke up. She was trying to wean herself off the pain meds. They made her loopy and all she could do was to sleep.

Ella arrived with another tray of food. Ranger was looking at a spinach salad with egg, peppers, red onions and tiny pieces of swiss cheese. There was a grilled chicken breast on the side.

Stephanie's plate had a big slice of lasagne and a small cesar salad. There was a plate with a piece of pineapple upside down cake with a dollop of whipped cream on the side. Stephanie stifled a sob. In her world that was the ultimate mothers love.

They dug in hungrily. There was a soft knock on the door and Ella appeared in the doorway. In her arms were an assortment of shirts. They were all easy slip ons. They were a myriad of colors. Stephanie could now dress herself without help.

Ella bustled into the bedroom and hung them in the closet. Re-appearing, she took the trays and headed for the kitchen. The dishes clattered as she put them away.

Ella returned. She stood in the doorway. Looking at Ranger, she spoke. "I just informed Manny how many people I want to interview for the position. I have looked them over carefully and once I make my selection, I will advise Manny and he can do the final search and hire.

I will be here until I am sure they will fit in and follow the proper procedures. I will NOT have this building fall into such disrepair again." She stalked out.

Ranger looked at Stephanie. His mouth cracked a small smile. His eyes twinkled. He spoke softly, "See what I had to put up with all my life?" Stephanie laughed. She put her hand in his. "You are a lucky man!"

Together they headed to bed. It had been a long day. Stephanie snuggled into Rangers chest taking care to prop her shoulder against his broad chest. He wrapped his arms around her and they both fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Janet owns all the recognizable characters. **

A New Day

Stephanie woke up. She could sense that she was alone. Her furnace had disappeared. Carefully she rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Taking care of business, she turned on the water in the shower. Today she was going to attempt everything herself. She was tired of needing help. Having divested herself of her night outfit, she stepped into the shower. It felt good to get clean. Humming happily, she stepped out. Wrapping herself in a very large fluffy towel she made her way back to the bedroom. She chose one of the new shirts that Ella had procured and a pair of yoga pants. She slid her feet into sandals.

Stephanie wandered into the kitchen. Ella had already come and gone. There was a tray on the counter. She lifted the lid and moaned happily. Looking up at her were blueberry pancakes with strawberries for eyes and a whipped cream smile. She dug in. She cleaned her plate and put everything in the dishwasher. Q was sleeping in a sunbeam in the middle of the living room floor. She stretched and curled up again. Her owner was disturbing her siesta.

Feeling stronger, she headed for five. Stepping off the elevator, she was met with a whole sea of big, black clad, handsome men. They called a greeting to her. Passing through them on the way to Ranger's office, she responded in kind. Ranger looked up. He jumped out of his chair and walked to her. He put his arms around her and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. There was one wolf whistle. Manny could be heard calling for the noise maker to meet him on the mats. There was a soft groan.

Stephanie walked back with Ranger to his desk. She sat on his lap in his chair. She felt much better today. He looked at her and hesmiled. The difference was unmistakable. Ella had worked her magic once again. She had been in Boston just over a week.

Stephanie leaned her head against his chest. She sighed happily. He looked down at her. Was this the right time to approach her with his plan?

Stephanie heard a commotion in the main office. She struggled to get off Ranger's lap but he held on to her. Just then, she heard Tank's booming voice roll down the hall. "Manny, I brought my work out gear."

Manny laughed. "You can't have all the fun, man. I've got this." Stephanie laughed. The office was starting to take shape. Manny would be a very good Manager.

She wondered how long Ranger would be staying. He probably needed to return to Trenton soon. She tensed slightly. She would miss him. They had fallen into an easy living arrangement. They had gotten closer. She was not looking forward to returning to her townhome. Most of her clothes were in the closet here.

Tank wandered into the office. He didn't look surprised as he saw Stephanie sitting on the boss's lap. They both looked very happy and he was happy for them. They had both been through so much.

Tank came over to the desk. Stephanie had stood up. He cradled her in his big strong arms and gave her a gentle hug. He spoke in her ear. "The guys said hi. They were happy that the staff here protected you. They are feeling a bit jealous right now. They don't like to share." Stephanie laughed. She was involved with the most wonderful, caring men in the world. She was happy to be back.

She headed for the door. She wanted to check out her office. She would try to do some work. Payroll was due and the new staffing schedule needed to be updated. Bobby had said that she could not work longer than an hour. He was still in the building and would probably drag her away from her desk. She better get moving. She closed the door on the way out.

Tank sat down in a guest chair. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. Ranger smiled and placed the envelope in his pocket. Tank looked at his best friend. "Are you ready, man? This is a big step."

Ranger smiled. "I have never been so sure in all my life. I thought I had lost her again. I'm not about to make that mistake again, if she will have me."

They got down to work.

Stephanie was just shutting down her computer when she heard a noise. Bobby was standing in front of her desk with his arms crossed over his chest. He was about to speak when Stephanie beat him to it. "I just finished. I'm heading upstairs now. " He smiled and escorted her to the door. They walked to the elevator and he pressed the button. She walked into the open elevator and he waved. Stephanie leaned against the wall. She was tired. This was going to take a lot longer than she planned. She had physio booked for after lunch. Her range of motion was slowly improving. She no longer needed the sling.

Bobby had delayed returning to Trenton twice. He wasn't really needed here but he liked the atmosphere. Les had returned to Trenton and was holding down the fort while Tank was in Boston. The core team had plans in place so that there was always a core member in Trenton. It was a large office.

Atlanta and Boston were small affiliates but served a specific clientele. Atlanta looked after the security end at the casinos only. Boston looked after business security systems. They would provide bodyguard services on occasion.

Miami looked after residential customers, body guard services and high level government work with respect to the drug and human trafficking trade. Each office was running smoothly.

Tank and Ranger sighed. All their planning was finally coming together. They were ready to call a meeting and propose the new changes. Tank looked at Ranger. "Are you sure you want to do this, Rangeman? I know you live for the excitement and the challenge. How long before you get bored?"

Ranger looked at his best friend. "I have never been more sure in my life. I had my life all planned out. I thought I would still go on missions until I died or became too old. I thought I would be the lead on take downs for a great many more years. But my life all became complicated when that beautiful, blue eyed, curly haired brunette walked into the diner. My plans just flew out the window. She made me look at what was most important in my life. "

Tank stood up and patted his friend on the back. He had seen the transformation in front of his eyes. He hoped that he could find that same kind of contentment. He and Lula were getting close, but they had not made any commitments yet. They were both very free spirits.

He walked out of the office. He wanted to visit with the new housekeeper. Her name was Gabriella. She was an older cousin of Ranger's and she was a mother of two grown boys. She was a registered chef trained at Brown College. Her husband, Zeke was a journeyman carpenter who had been injured on the job and was now unable to lift heavy objects. He would fill in the position of handyman. They were already living in a suite on four.

Ella had returned to Trenton. She was pleased that Boston would now run properly. Gabriella was well versed in the Rangeman dietary requirements. She had the men toeing the line.

Patricia had visited Stephanie as she was recuperating. She had related how the office was running. Abby had taken a short leave of absence for stress but had already returned to work.

Patricia mentioned that Manny was making some visits to the office that had nothing to do with business. She suspected that Abby and Manny were seeing each other.

He had escorted her down to the police station to fill out the report on the attack. They had stopped for coffee afterwards. She had heard that Manny and Abby had gone for dinners a few times. He was a very nice young man.

Manny had combined business with pleasure and had made some suggestions with respect to a now locked front door. Visitors would have to ring for admittance and be buzzed in. The camera that was already in place would also be used to observe people as they waited. The staff had been outfitted with key fobs for the also now locked employee entrance. The changes had been implemented immediately.

Stephanie wondered if she would ever fully know Patricia's story. She had run an in depth search on her. Her spidey sense had never calmed down near Patricia. She had a secret past but Stephanie would honor her desire to remain invisible. She had shown Ranger her search results. He looked thoughtful.

Stephanie had made the decision that she would not be returning to Elizabeth Fry. She felt a bit sad at that realization. They had taken her in at a very bad time of her life. She had tried to heal from some pretty traumatic memories.

Time waits for no one and they needed someone in the business office immediately. Stephanie would be out of commission for some time. Patricia had hired another counsellor with business experience. From all accounts she was working out well.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Janet, I love your characters. **

The New and Improved Rangeman

Ranger stopped Stephanie from leaving the apartment. He took her hand and led her to the sofa. He sat down and pulled her to sit on his lap. Stephanie started to tense up. She was worried that Ranger was leaving her and moving away. She steeled herself to not cry in front of him.

He took her hand and rubbed the top with his thumb. He marshalled his thoughts. "Babe, since the day I met you so long ago, you have turned my life upside down. I tried not to let you into my life, feeling that if we were not involved and I died, you could go on with your life. You kept coming back to me and carved a special place in my heart. "

He took her off his lap and set her down on the sofa. He turned to her once again. "When they took you away in handcuffs, my heart broke. I could not and would not believe that you had been involved with your family in their deceit. I hoped that you would be proven innocent and hopefully I would be able to find you again and apologize. I went through my own personal hell trying to find you. I was almost ready to give up and here you were under our very noses."

He paused again. "When your panic button went off, once again my heart clenched in fear. I had just found you and here you were in danger again. When I saw you lying unconscious on the floor and saw the blood I couldn't breathe. I knew then that I wanted you in my life forever."

Ranger knelt down on one knee on the rug in front of Stephanie. In his hand was a little black box. He opened it. It was the ring he had designed so very long ago. "I am asking you to make me the happiest man in the world. Will you marry me?"

Stephanie sat there in shock. She had thought he was leaving her. Her eyes teared up. She looked at him. "Yes, oh yes, Ranger." They both stood up at the same time. Ranger took her in his arms and kissed her. He spoke into her ear. "Carlos, please call me Carlos." Stephanie spoke, "Carlos, I love you so very much." They kissed again.

It was a kiss of promise, of love, and of commitment. Who knew how much time passed? She felt Carlos slip the ring on her left ring finger. "I promise to love you forever, and forever after that." Stephanie whispered. "Carlos, I love you now, and tomorrow and all the tomorrows left in my life."

They sat down on the sofa. They had so much to discuss. Ranger spoke again. "Babe, I have been meeting with Tank. It is time to revamp Rangeman. I have called in all the Managers of the locations to meet tonight. I am about to make some major changes and I want to let you know about them first. "

Stephanie sat in shock. Rangeman was his life. Had something happened? Was she to lose him so soon after they had finally declared their love for each other? She looked at him in confusion.

Ranger smiled. "I think it is a good thing. What I am going to do is to step back from Rangeman. I am going to give freer rein to the different location Managers. They will only have to answer to me on an as needed basis. I will continue to keep a loose tab on them, but they will have more authority than they have ever had. "

Ranger paused for emphasis. "Tank will take over completely at Rangeman Trenton. He will also be the overall head of all the offices. The Managers will answer to him. I plan to promote Les to be Assistant Manager of Trenton."

Ranger took her hand in his. "Manny is doing well here in Boston. Bobby will move here permanently and take on the responsibility of Assistant Manager Boston. He will continue to be in charge of all the infirmaries at Rangeman and stay in charge of overall fitness conditioning and testing. He told me how much he has grown to love Boston. "

Stephanie was watching him intently.

"Raoul is Manager of Miami and I plan to authorize his second in command Jesus as Assistant Manager Miami. Atlanta's Manager is Monty and his assistant is Leonard who I plan to authorize as officially Assistant Manager Atlanta."

He continued. "I have spoken to both Les and Bobby. They do not want to run an office yet. They feel they can better serve Rangeman as Assistants with the ability to move from office to office. They are still part of the core team but are not ready to settle down as yet. Les wants to continue to pursue some contracts and Bobby will be busy keeping all the infirmaries up to code."

Stephanie sat with her mouth open like a big mouthed bass. Carlos gently put a forefinger under her chin and closed her mouth. He smiled. He was not done yet.

"I received a phone call from the President. He has asked me to assume the position of Chairman of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence in Homeland Security. It is a four year commitment and will take effect on Inauguration Day. This is a huge honor, Babe, but I told him that I would only agree if you would come with me."

Stephanie sat in shock. The President had talked to Carlos? He had not accepted the position until he talked to her? She wasn't able to put a thought together. She was so proud of her man.

Once again Carlos spoke. "We will have to move to Washington. There is housing and staff provided. We will be assigned a security detail but I know that you would feel more comfortable with one of our own when you go out without me. I have asked Vince to be your personal security and he has agreed. "

Ranger stopped for emphasis. "I was wondering if you would like to get married fairly soon and we can have a honeymoon before we leave to take the post? I am not especially excited about a large wedding, but if you want one, we can have the splashiest ceremony this side of California. "

Stephanie nodded her head. A small and intimate wedding with their friends sounded perfect. She had already endured the big splashy wedding when she had married The Dick and she did not want a repeat of that fiasco. A honeymoon with sun and beach and water also sounded like heaven. She grinned. "Sounds perfect, Batman. I wonder how Q will like Washington?"

Carlos laughed. He pulled her up. Hand in hand they walked out of the apartment. They had a lot to plan and they would announce their engagement that evening. Stephanie mentally wondered how long they would have to wait to get married after applying for a marriage certificate. Carlos had his ESP working. "Already got one, Babe. I was hoping you would say yes."

Stephanie smiled. "How about Saturday? We could have a small ceremony here in the building. I would like to invite Mary Lou to be my attendant and of course I want Lula and Connie to come. Do you think that Louis and Ella would give me away?"

Ranger handed her his phone. No time like the present to ask them. Ella picked up. "Good evening Ranger, is there a problem?" Stephanie laughed. "Hi Ella, it's me, Stephanie. What are you and Louis doing on Saturday that you can reschedule?"

Ella sucked in her breath. Could it really be true? Were they finally taking that last step? She spoke. "We have nothing that cannot be moved. What time, where, and what should I wear?" Stephanie laughed. ESP ran in the whole family. She promised to get back to her with more details later.

She called Mary Lou. There was a squeal over the phone lines. Mary Lou agreed on the spot. She would get her mother-in-law to babysit the boys over the weekend.

Carlos had already asked Tank to be his Best Man.

Carlos and Stephanie headed for the conference room. The Managers from all the offices were there. They were chatting and comparing notes. Tank had his blank face on. Ranger smiled as they came in the room. Tank nodded. His stance never changed but there was a twinkle in his eye now.

Ranger stood at the front of the room. There was instant quiet. He cleared his throat. He was holding Stephanie's hand in his and he suddenly smiled. "Men, tonight I asked the most wonderful woman to be my wife. She has graciously accepted. We are having a small ceremony here on Saturday and you are all invited. "

The men all shouted with happiness and rushed to congratulate the happy couple. After a round of handshakes, shoulder pats, and hugs for Stephanie, they all resumed their seats.

Ranger spoke once again. "I have just been offered the Chairmanship on the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence with Homeland Security. I have advised the President that I will accept this great honor.

I will be assuming the position on Inauguration Day and the term is for four years. Therefore, I will be stepping back from Rangeman. Tank will be taking over as the head of Rangeman and you will all report to him.

I am today giving you more power of your offices and will be assigning Assistant Manager Titles to your second in commands. Lester Santos will stay in Trenton to assist Tank, Bobby Brown will move to Boston to assist Manny and continue as our chief medic, Jesus will continue to assist Raoul in Miami and Leonard will assist Monty in Atlanta. I know that you will continue the fine tradition and standards that Rangeman has been maintaining. I look forward to watching your progress. There will be more details later."

The men looked around. Ranger dismissed them and they filed out of the room. Excited chatter was heard all the way down the hall.

Tank came over to Ranger. He shook his hand and then gave Stephanie a big hug. He whispered in her ear, "Take care of him for me. I trust you with his life." Stephanie nodded. Tank had been looking after his best friend for the better part of 20 years.

She had his back, just as he had hers.

**Last chapter of this story and trilogy tomorrow. Myrna**


	9. Chapter 9

**Warning: If you cry at weddings, you might want a tissue handy. **

Tying the Knot

There was a flurry of activity around Rangeman. Ella and Louis had arrived. There were a million things to do to get the building ready for a wedding.

Stephanie had shopped tirelessly and had found the perfect dress. It was an ivory floor length off the shoulder with a straight bodice. It was simple but extremely elegant. Mary Lou had come to town. Lenny was looking after the boys until Friday when he would arrive. Lula was also in town.

The thermal three blew through the doors of Rangeman Friday morning. They were carrying bags and bags of purchases. Stephanie was regretting having only five days to plan the wedding. There was so much to do. They had their dresses and shoes. The hair salon was booked. Ella and Gabriella were making the cake and all the food. Louis and Zeke had transformed the largest conference room into a wedding chapel.

Ranger had booked the Justice of the Peace and he had booked tickets for the honeymoon. He had refused to tell her the destination, but had mentioned that the little string bikini in her drawer would look good on the beach. It was hard to find beach wear in the winter. Everything was decorated for Christmas.

Ranger and Tank were locked in meetings all day, every day.

Stephanie had put her beloved townhouse up for sale. She already had a deal pending. The furniture had been moved out and put into a Rangeman storage room. Ranger had arranged for her Harley to be brought from storage and it was sitting in the Rangeman garage. Beside her bike was his Screamin Eagle Softail Springer Harley. Ranger had arranged for it to be shipped from his parents' house in Miami. Come spring, they hoped to take some short trips together. Unfortunately with his new appointment, Sturgis would have to wait.

Carlos and Stephanie would fall into bed each evening, exhausted from the activities during the day. They would cuddle in bed and discuss everything. They would then start with a kiss, a caress, and progress to fondling and nipping. Sleep did not come soon. They would wake up in the morning tangled together. Stephanie had been cleared for all exercise some time ago and they were making up for over a year of absence.

Q was still complaining at the locked door at night. Whoever came through that door first in the morning got an earful every day. Unfortunately for Ranger, he was the usual sounding board. He would bend down and scratch her ears and under her chin. She began to purr. He had a way with women!

Saturday arrived. The ceremony was to take place at 2 pm. Contract workers had been called in at most of the offices so that employees could attend. Trenton was coming almost to a man. Hotel rooms all over Boston were booked.

Miami had also sent a contingent. Raoul had offered to stay back. He and his family were planning the after wedding reception in Miami upon their return from their honeymoon so he had sent Silvio in his place.

Only Raoul knew that Silvio was being offered a new job. Ranger wanted him on his personal staff in Washington. He planned on doing some serious re-vamping on information gathering and interrogation practices after going through Stephanie's horrible experience. Silvio would be training the staff and overseeing the operation.

Ranger had already spoken to Patricia. He had also offered her a job. He had been in contact with some of his fellow operatives and knew her real story. He remembered her as Linda Spencer. He had been a brash, new Black Ops commander. He had never met her but her resume was very impressive.

She had been a top notch interrogator. Her skills bordered on psychic and Ranger had heard from more than one operative that she had a spidey sense that bordered on phenomenal. Many people had wilted under her scrutiny and figuratively hung themselves.

She had left the program when her cover had been blown. All he knew was she had been given a new identity and had been spirited away in the dead of night. Nobody had heard from her for over 10 years. He hoped that she and Silvio would make an unbeatable team.

Ranger was in Tank's apartment. They quickly changed into their tux's. No words were spoken. This was not the time for advice.

Tank finished dressing first and checked his best friend over. He still had his back on this most important day.

Ranger stood calmly by the door. He was ready to get the show on the road. He was ready for his Someday.

Before stepping out the door, they silently shook hands. They both realized that this was the end of a stage of their lives. Both knew that their friendship would remain strong, but it was no longer just them.

Ella was in the apartment with Stephanie. She and Louis were giving her away.

Stephanie stood by the mirror. She was pleased with her choice of dress. Ella had gasped. She had provided outfits for Stephanie for years but this was without a doubt the most stunning.

It was almost time. Stephanie checked her make up one more time and slipped into her sandals. Mary Lou had her bouquet in hand. They were pink baby tea roses. Mary Lou was carrying ivory baby tea roses. There was a knock on the door and Louis was standing outside. He would walk her down the aisle.

They moved to the elevator. It was open and waiting. Travelling down to two they looked at each other. The entourage was calm. This was a happy time and it felt right.

Standing outside the room, Ella and Louis each gave a cheek kiss to Stephanie. Ella was then led into the room. Taking her hand, Louis put it over his arm. He looked at her, "Ready?" Stephanie nodded.

The door opened. The music started and Mary Lou walked down the aisle. Louis and Stephanie stepped to the door. Everyone in attendance was now standing. Louis slowly walked Stephanie down the aisle. There were excited murmurs as they saw the gorgeous bride.

Carlos and Tank were standing by the alter. They were both dressed in dark suits with tea roses in their lapels. Carlos took in his bride-to-be coming toward him. He could barely take a breath. She was absolutely stunning.

Finally, Louis walked her the final few steps. He gave her a kiss on the cheek. He took her hand in his and put it on Carlos' arm. He softly spoke a few words to Carlos and Carlos nodded. Louis walked back to Ella and sat down. She put her hand on his arm and wiped a small tear with a tiny hankerchief. He kissed her cheek.

The Justice stood patiently. He waited for the noise to cease. He started his sermon. "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered her to witness Ricardo Carlos and Stephanie Michelle join their hands in matrimony. They have written their own vows and would like to speak them now.

Carlos turned to Stephanie. "I met you in a little diner so many years ago. You were afraid of what you were about to attempt, but you bravely took on the future. I admired your tenacity, your resourcefulness and your loyalty. You achieved what many have failed. At the same time, you wriggled your way into my cold heart. I had lost the true meaning of life. You warmed my heart and made me feel again. I tried to push you away so that you would not get hurt if I did not return from a mission. You refused to stay away. When you were shot my heart stopped. I had only just found you again. I knew then that I could not live without you. I give you my heart, my soul and my love freely for as long as I shall live. "

Stephanie handed her bouquet to Mary Lou. She turned to Carlos. "I walked into that diner so long ago. I saw a terrifying bad ass who tried to dissuade me from my mission. I had luck on my side and with a lot of help from you I am still here today. I could sense when you were headed on a mission with an unclear end date. I could tell that some of the missions were almost doomed to failure, but each time you returned. My love for you never wavered. I would take what I could get. We both had serious commitment issues and I'm sure our friends and family groaned each time we wavered. When I was injured I knew that you would be there to save me once again. I give you my heart to hold. I can think of no better place."

The Justice cleared his throat. "May I have the rings?" Tank took them out of his pocket and he handed them to the Justice. He held them out. Carlos took one and gently placed the ring on her finger. "I will love you forever and one day more." Stephanie took the other ring and held Carlos by the hand. She put the ring on his finger and said. "I will love you forever and one day more."

The Justice looked at the pair. He smiled. "By the power invested in me by the State of Massachusetts, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." There were war whoops and whistles. There was hand clapping and crying. Carlos and Stephanie heard nothing. They were in each other's embrace. Their kiss was full of promise.

They turned around. Taking her hand, Carlos walked her down the aisle. People were clapping. Tears were flowing. It was a happy occasion.

There was a flurry of activity. The room was being changed from a chapel into a banquet room. Tables were brought in and the food started to arrive. On a table at the front stood the wedding cake. Ella and Gabriella had literally outdone themselves. It was five tiers high.

The atmosphere turned into a party. Everyone was having a wonderful time. There was no formal seating. It was a splendid buffet. There were many requests for the couple to kiss.

Tank stood up. The room quieted immediately. He took his wine glass. He cleared his throat.

"I have known Carlos for over 20 years. We started out as punk kids and got ourselves into trouble more often than we care to remember. The Judge gave us a choice. Head to jail, or join the Army. We chose the Army and never looked back. We had fun and got to destroy things, all under the umbrella of serving our country. We started Rangeman and were prepared to give our lives to our missions and our company. One day a certain curly haired brunette showed up and our lives have been in a state of flux ever since. We tried to remain calm as she blew up car after car. We patched her up when she got scraped and bruised. We cheered her on as she maintained a successful capture record second to none. We watched as she and Carlos came together then moved apart. We hoped that they would see the light and finally admit they were a pair who should be together. Today is a day to rejoice in the union of these two lovebirds. May you have children with the same attitudes. We at Rangeman are very experienced with childishness, temper tantrums, the art of hide and seek, moodiness, simmering anger, absolute terror, the satisfaction of a job well done, and the belief that we would not give it up for anything. I propose a toast. To Carlos and Stephanie." There was a roar of approval and glasses clinked.

Mary Lou stood up. She too had a glass in her hand. She looked at Stephanie and Carlos holding hands.

She started to speak. "I have known Stephanie for 29 years. We met in Kindergarten. The very first day we connected. A boy took my chair. Stephanie stepped in and pushed him backwards out of it. She was the first kindergarten student to be in the principal's office on the first day in the history of the school. We were friends from then on. As we grew up, we kept each others' secrets. We cried together when some tragedy would befall us. We may have taken different paths in life, but we remained best friends. This past year was one of the hardest I have ever had to endure while my friend was under the radar somewhere and I was unable to connect with her. I knew when Carlos came to visit me upon his return from a mission that he would move heaven and earth to find his Babe. Imagine his surprise when she was right under his nose! She could always hide in the best places. I never found her when we played hide and seek. I see two people so very in love with each other. May they have many more adventures as they take on marriage and a new direction in life. I propose a toast. To Stephanie and Carlos." There was another round of applause and more glasses clinked.

Carlos and Stephanie stood up and moved to the wedding cake. He took out a knife he had in a scabbard at his ankle. There was a roar of approval. He placed the knife on the cake. Stephanie placed her hand over his. They cut the cake together. They fed a little piece to each other.

They then moved away from the cake. Carlos had Stephanie's hand in his. He addressed their friends. "Thank you for coming and being a part of our special day. This is a new chapter in our life. We intend to take it together and never look back. The past is what made us realize our love for each other, but the future is ours to explore. "

Stephanie reached up and gave him a gentle kiss. Carlos spoke again. "Thank you for coming. Unfortunately, we have to leave. We have a plane to catch."

They headed to the door. People were congratulating them as they moved through the crowd. Tank was waiting at the door. The elevator door was open. He escorted them to the limo waiting in the garage. Their bags were already stowed. He shook Ranger's hand and gave Stephanie a hug. He stepped back. They climbed into the limo. The garage door opened and the car drove out. It was headed to the airport where a private jet was waiting to spirit them away.

Stephanie sighed. She was glad it was over. She was with Carlos. They had found their Someday. Now they were heading to tomorrow and to all the tomorrows in their future.

**Thank you for all the reviews and personal messages. I hope to return soon with another story. Myrna**


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